Wow...a Half Decent No-alcohol Beer

[waggastew]

I realise many people on here may think 'Why Bother' but I have tried a few different no alcohol (<0.5%) brewed malt beverages (i.e. beer), looking for something to drink when I am the designated driver. I am one of those can't drink slow people so I prefer to have something I can quaff all night. I can't do Coke etc all night either, too sweet.

Got a 4-pack of 'Hopman' (brewed by JMB Beverages, Hornsby BSW - no affiliation) from the local supermarket yesterday. Cracked it tonight and shock horror it actually tastes like.....beer! Most of the NAB's (no-alcohol beers) I have tasted have been very sweet or overly malty but this is quite 'hoppy'. Don't expect it to be an IPA and it may be iso=hop but the dominant taste is hops. It even has that slight skunk that you get with commercial lagers!

Its not cheap at $8 a 4-pack but I will definitely be giving it a run on the DD nights. Might also try some blind tastings with some mates.

Stew

 

[Muggus]

Sounds interesting...almost worth a try.

:icon_offtopic: This has got me thinking though...with the right industry equipment like sterile filtration, force carbing, reverse osmosis, etc...it could be possible to make a low alcohol "beer" without risking too much hop or malt flavour.
I've always toyed with the idea of brewing a batch of beer...something with a good amount of flavour and punch, like a strong stout or full blooded IPA...and after fermentation, get it off the yeast lees (filter it ideally), and essentially "boil" off the alcohol by keeping it around 74C, or whatever the boiling point of alcohol is, until the bulk of the alcohol goes off. And whilst that's boiling away, add hops and any malt additions if it needs back sweetening for more body. Then chuck it in a keg, chill it and force carb it. Not sure if it'd taste any good, and seems like alot of effort to essentially "dealcoholise" what may have originally been a cracker beer...I welcome comments.

 

[MitchDudarko]

I know it's not "no alcohol" beer, but 8Wired are making a low ABV beer called Underwired. 2.5%, and reportedly rather flavoursome. I also hear he uses 60% crystal malt in the brew! Can't wait til this one gets bottled to try.

 

[chadjaja]

Anyone seen this in a supermarket here in VIC?

 

[HoppingMad]

Interesting. Some folks on here quite like the Coopers Birrell which has 0.5% (where as others can't stand it). Was a thread around here somewhere on that one with plenty of fans.

I tried the Coopers Light (2.9%) for the first time last year because some mates had some in their office. Thought it would taste like fizzy wee-wee but it actually wasn't half bad.

Have been tempted to try making a low alcohol beer. Have a few brew buddies that have turned their hand at a British Mild and seem to like them - particularly in the hotter months.

Hopper.

 

[ekul]

Sounds interesting...almost worth a try.

:icon_offtopic: This has got me thinking though...with the right industry equipment like sterile filtration, force carbing, reverse osmosis, etc...it could be possible to make a low alcohol "beer" without risking too much hop or malt flavour.
I've always toyed with the idea of brewing a batch of beer...something with a good amount of flavour and punch, like a strong stout or full blooded IPA...and after fermentation, get it off the yeast lees (filter it ideally), and essentially "boil" off the alcohol by keeping it around 74C, or whatever the boiling point of alcohol is, until the bulk of the alcohol goes off. And whilst that's boiling away, add hops and any malt additions if it needs back sweetening for more body. Then chuck it in a keg, chill it and force carb it. Not sure if it'd taste any good, and seems like alot of effort to essentially "dealcoholise" what may have originally been a cracker beer...I welcome comments.

You could even vacuum distill to keep the heat down..

 

[dth]

You could even vacuum distill to keep the heat down..

Hell, if we had lab grade equipment and the time (and $) to mess around with it I'm sure we would...